Implementing a Smart, License Plate–Based Parking System in Partnership with Inflow™

‍

Summary

In 2025, Inflow completed a project for a downtown area in Texas, and its community park areas. The initiative aimed to reduce congestion, modernize enforcement, improve user convenience, and ensure financial sustainability through digital management and automated payment systems.

This white paper examines the scope, objectives, implementation details, and community response to the project, highlighting both the operational benefits and key challenges encountered in transitioning to a fully digital parking ecosystem.

‍

Background and Objectives

A rapidly growing city positioned between San Antonio and Austin, experiences significant seasonal traffic due to its thriving tourism industry—particularly around the Comal and Guadalupe Rivers. Traditional two-hour parking limits and manually enforced systems were increasingly inefficient and costly to maintain.

In early 2025, city leaders identified several core objectives:

1. Enhance turnover and accessibility in downtown business zones.
2. Reduce congestion in river park areas during high tourist seasons.
3. Modernize operations with cloud-based technology and plate recognition enforcement.
4. Ensure revenue neutrality, with parking fees offsetting contract costs.
5. Deliver a contactless, mobile-first user experience aligned with regional smart-city trends.

To meet these goals, the City Council approved a multi-year management contract with a company specializing in digital and license-plate–enabled parking systems, Inflow™.

‍System Design and Implementation

License Plate–Based Management

Inflow’s centers around a license-plate recognition (LPR) system that eliminates physical meters and paper permits. Drivers register their plate via:

• Following QR code signage to Inflow™ for app-free registration and payment

       —or—

• Sending a Text Keyword to Inflow™

The system integrates directly with enforcement databases, enabling real-time validation and automatic citation issuance.

‍

Digital Permit Platform

For residents, a Resident River Parking Permit program was introduced:

• Annual permits tied to license plates
  ‍
• No physical decals or stickers
  ‍
• Simple online registration and renewal: This registration process reduced administrative overhead and allowed rapid updates to eligibility or access areas.

‍

Payment Model

• First hour free

• $2 per additional hour, capped at $10/day for city parking, and $20/day for special event lots

• Digital receipts only (no need for meters or kiosks)
  
  
• 10-day grace period for citation reductions ($100 → $65 if paid early)

• Operational Support: Parking Ambassadors were deployed downtown to assist visitors, educate users during rollout, and de-escalate enforcement issues during the “soft-activation” phase.

‍

Financial and Administrative Impact

Revenue Neutrality

Initial financial modeling projected that the new digital system would cover its own operating costs through modest user fees and efficient enforcement.

• Reduced Overhead

• Removal of physical meter maintenance and coin collection
  
  
• Lower staff requirements for manual patrols
  
  
• Centralized analytics dashboard for performance monitoring

‍

Revenue Transparency

A Parking Revenue Fund was established to:

• Track all paid-parking income

• Finance downtown improvements, signage, and public infrastructure

• Provide transparency for residents and business owners
  ‍

Conclusion

The modernization of parking operations demonstrates how a mid-sized city can successfully deploy LPR-enabled, cloud-based systems to improve efficiency and user experience without increasing costs.

While community adaptation remains a challenge, the partnership with Inflow™ has laid the groundwork for data-driven management, improved compliance, and future integration with wider smart-city initiatives.

‍

Prepared by:

INFLOW Research / Urban Systems Group

October 2025

‍